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1. Envelope tracking power converter circuitry comprising: an envelope tracking power supply signal output node; an average power tracking power supply signal output node; a main switching power converter configured to receive a supply voltage and provide a first portion of an envelope tracking power supply signal at the envelope tracking power supply signal output node based on a main switching power converter control signal; a parallel amplifier configured to provide an output voltage and an output current based on a parallel amplifier supply voltage, an envelope control signal, and a feedback signal from an envelope power supply output node, wherein the output voltage provides a second portion of the envelope tracking power supply signal and the output current is used to generate the main switching power converter control signal; and parallel amplifier power converter circuitry configured to receive the supply voltage and provide the parallel amplifier supply voltage to the parallel amplifier and an average power tracking power supply signal to the average power tracking power supply signal output node.
The envelope tracking power converter efficiently provides power to radio frequency (RF) amplifiers. It has two outputs: one for envelope tracking (ET) and one for average power tracking (APT). A main switching converter provides a first portion of the ET signal. A parallel amplifier handles the remaining ET signal, using its output voltage and current. The output voltage is the second portion of the ET signal. The parallel amplifier's output current controls the main switching converter. A parallel amplifier power converter provides the parallel amplifier's supply voltage and the APT signal. All components work together to optimize power delivery for RF amplifier efficiency.
2. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 1 further comprising main switching power converter control circuitry configured to receive the output current from the parallel amplifier and provide a main switching power converter control signal to the main switching power converter.
In addition to the envelope tracking power converter described previously, main switching converter control circuitry receives the output current from the parallel amplifier and uses it to generate a control signal for the main switching power converter. This feedback loop ensures that the main switching converter adjusts its output based on the parallel amplifier's operation, optimizing the overall efficiency of the envelope tracking power supply.
3. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 1 wherein the parallel amplifier power converter circuitry is configured to provide the average power tracking power supply signal based on an average power tracking control signal.
Building on the envelope tracking power converter, the parallel amplifier power converter provides the average power tracking (APT) signal based on an average power tracking control signal. This allows the APT signal to be dynamically adjusted according to the needs of the RF amplifier it powers, maximizing efficiency and minimizing wasted power.
4. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 1 wherein the parallel amplifier power converter circuitry comprises: a supply voltage input node; a parallel amplifier power supply output node; an average power tracking power supply output node; a first switching element coupled between the supply voltage input node and a first intermediate node; a second switching element coupled between the first intermediate node and ground; an inductor coupled between the first intermediate node and a second intermediate node; a third switching element coupled between the second intermediate node and ground; a fourth switching element coupled between the second intermediate node and the parallel amplifier power supply output node; a capacitor coupled between the parallel amplifier power supply output node and ground; and a fifth switching element coupled between the second intermediate node and the average power tracking power supply output node.
The parallel amplifier power converter comprises a specific circuit topology: It takes a supply voltage as input. Switching elements (transistors or similar) direct current flow. A first switch connects the supply voltage to an intermediate node. A second switch connects that node to ground. An inductor links this intermediate node to another intermediate node. A third switch connects the second intermediate node to ground. A fourth switch connects it to the parallel amplifier supply output. A capacitor stabilizes the parallel amplifier output. A fifth switch connects the second intermediate node to the average power tracking (APT) output. This arrangement allows efficient generation of both voltages.
5. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 4 wherein the main switching power converter is a buck/boost converter.
The envelope tracking power converter incorporates a main switching power converter, and that converter is specifically a buck/boost converter. A buck/boost converter can output a voltage that is either higher or lower than the input voltage. This design choice increases the versatility of the envelope tracking power supply.
6. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 5 further comprising main switching power converter control circuitry configured to receive the output current from the parallel amplifier and provide a main switching power converter control signal to the main switching power converter.
Building upon the envelope tracking power converter with a buck/boost main converter, the design further incorporates main switching power converter control circuitry. This circuitry receives the output current from the parallel amplifier and generates a control signal for the main switching (buck/boost) converter. This feedback loop allows the buck/boost converter to dynamically adjust its output based on the parallel amplifier's performance, optimizing overall system efficiency.
7. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 6 wherein control signals for each switching element in the parallel amplifier power converter circuitry are generated based on an average power tracking control signal.
Expanding on the previous envelope tracking power converter with a buck/boost main converter and main converter control based on parallel amplifier current, the switching elements within the parallel amplifier power converter (responsible for generating the parallel amplifier supply and average power tracking voltages) are controlled based on an average power tracking control signal. This control scheme allows for dynamic adjustment of the parallel amplifier and average power tracking signals based on the RF amplifier's needs.
8. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 7 further comprising parallel amplifier power converter control circuitry configured to receive the average power tracking control signal and provide switching control signals to the first switching element, the second switching element, the third switching element, the fourth switching element, and the fifth switching element in order to provide the parallel amplifier supply voltage and the average power tracking power supply signal.
Further extending the envelope tracking power converter with buck/boost main converter and current-based control, the parallel amplifier power converter control circuitry receives the average power tracking control signal and then generates individual control signals for each of the five switching elements. Precise control over each switch allows the parallel amplifier power converter to efficiently generate both the parallel amplifier supply voltage and the average power tracking (APT) power supply signal.
9. A radio frequency (RF) transmitter section comprising: a first power amplifier configured to receive and amplify RF input signals within a first operating band; a second power amplifier configured to receive and amplify RF input signals within a second operating band; and envelope tracking power converter circuitry and comprising: an envelope tracking power supply signal output node coupled to the first power amplifier; an average power tracking power supply signal output node coupled to the second power amplifier; a main switching power converter configured to receive the supply voltage and provide a first portion of an envelope tracking power supply signal at the envelope tracking power supply signal output node based on a main switching power converter control signal; a parallel amplifier configured to provide an output voltage and an output current based on a parallel amplifier supply voltage, an envelope control signal, and a feedback signal from an envelope power supply output node, wherein the output voltage provides a second portion of the envelope tracking power supply signal and the output current is used to generate the main switching power converter control signal; and parallel amplifier power converter circuitry configured to receive the supply voltage and provide the parallel amplifier supply voltage to the parallel amplifier and an average power tracking power supply signal to the average power tracking power supply signal output node.
An RF transmitter section integrates two power amplifiers, one for each operating band, with an envelope tracking power converter. The envelope tracking power converter supplies power to these amplifiers. It features an envelope tracking (ET) output node connected to the first power amplifier and an average power tracking (APT) output node for the second amplifier. A main switching converter provides a first portion of the ET signal, controlled by a control signal. A parallel amplifier provides the remaining ET signal; its output voltage is the second portion, and its current controls the main converter. A parallel amplifier power converter provides the parallel amplifier's supply and the APT signal.
10. The RF transmitter section of claim 9 further comprising main switching power converter control circuitry configured to receive the output current from the parallel amplifier and provide the main switching power converter control signal to the main switching power converter.
Further developing the RF transmitter section, the main switching power converter control circuitry receives the output current from the parallel amplifier, and uses this to create the main switching power converter's control signal. This feedback loop allows the main switching converter's performance to adapt to the needs of the RF amplifiers, optimizing efficiency.
11. The RF transmitter section of claim 9 wherein the parallel amplifier power converter circuitry is configured to provide the average power tracking power supply signal based on an average power tracking control signal.
Expanding on the RF transmitter section's power setup, the parallel amplifier power converter is specifically configured to create the average power tracking (APT) signal based on an average power tracking control signal. This allows dynamic adjustment of the APT signal depending on the operating conditions of its target RF amplifier.
12. The RF transmitter section of claim 9 wherein the parallel amplifier power converter circuitry comprises: a supply voltage input node; a parallel amplifier supply voltage output node; an average power tracking power supply output node; a first switching element coupled between the supply voltage input node and a first intermediate node; a second switching element coupled between the first intermediate node and ground; an inductor coupled between the first intermediate node and a second intermediate node; a third switching element coupled between the second intermediate node and ground; a fourth switching element coupled between the second intermediate node and the parallel amplifier supply voltage output node; a capacitor coupled between the parallel amplifier supply voltage output node and ground; and a fifth switching element coupled between the second intermediate node and the average power tracking power supply output node.
Detailing the RF transmitter section's power components, the parallel amplifier power converter is structured as follows: It takes a supply voltage as input. Switching elements (transistors) route current. A first switch connects the supply to an intermediate node. A second switch connects that node to ground. An inductor connects this intermediate node to another. A third switch connects the second intermediate node to ground. A fourth switch connects it to the parallel amplifier supply output. A capacitor stabilizes the parallel amplifier output. A fifth switch connects the second intermediate node to the average power tracking (APT) output.
13. The RF transmitter section of claim 12 wherein the main switching power converter is a buck/boost converter.
In the RF transmitter section, the main switching power converter is a buck/boost converter. This allows it to produce an output voltage that is higher or lower than its input voltage. This provides flexibility for powering the RF amplifiers.
14. The RF transmitter section of claim 13 further comprising main switching power converter control circuitry configured to receive the output current from the parallel amplifier and provide the main switching power converter control signal to the main switching power converter.
In the RF transmitter, the main switching power converter is a buck/boost type, and control circuitry receives the parallel amplifier output current to provide the control signal to the buck/boost converter. The feedback loop adjusts the buck/boost converter output based on the parallel amplifier activity, improving overall efficiency.
15. The RF transmitter section of claim 14 wherein control signals for each switching element in the parallel amplifier power converter circuitry are generated based on the average power tracking control signal.
In this RF transmitter setup, with a buck/boost main converter controlled by parallel amplifier current, the switching elements in the parallel amplifier power converter respond to an average power tracking control signal. Thus, control over the parallel amplifier power converter (responsible for average power tracking) is ultimately tied to the average power tracking control signal.
16. The RF transmitter section of claim 15 further comprising parallel amplifier power converter control circuitry configured to receive the average power tracking control signal and provide switching control signals to the first switching element, the second switching element, the third switching element, the fourth switching element, and the fifth switching element in order to provide the parallel amplifier supply voltage and the average power tracking power supply signal.
In the RF transmitter section, the parallel amplifier power converter control circuitry gets the average power tracking control signal, and uses it to generate control signals for each of the five switching elements in the parallel amplifier power converter. This fine-grained control lets it create both the parallel amplifier supply voltage and the average power tracking (APT) power supply signal accurately.
17. Envelope tracking power converter circuitry configured to receive a supply voltage, an envelope control signal, and an average power tracking control signal and simultaneously provide an envelope tracking power supply signal for amplifying a first radio frequency (RF) input signal based on the envelope control signal and an average power tracking power supply signal for amplifying a second RF input signal based on the average power tracking control signal.
The envelope tracking power converter takes a supply voltage, an envelope control signal, and an average power tracking control signal. It then creates two power supply signals simultaneously: one optimized for envelope tracking (ET) to amplify a first RF signal, based on the envelope control, and another for average power tracking (APT) to amplify a second RF signal, based on the average power tracking control.
18. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 17 wherein a frequency of the first RF input signal is within a first operating band and a frequency of the second RF input signal is within a second operating band that is different from the first operating band.
Expanding on the envelope tracking power converter's function, the first RF signal operates within a first frequency band, while the second RF signal operates within a *different* second frequency band. This indicates that the converter is intended to power amplifiers operating on different frequencies simultaneously and efficiently.
19. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 18 wherein the envelope tracking power converter circuitry is an integrated circuit.
Expanding on the envelope tracking power converter for dual-band RF amplification, the entire converter is fabricated as an integrated circuit. This allows for miniaturization and potentially lower cost compared to discrete component implementations.
20. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 19 wherein the envelope tracking power supply signal and the average power tracking power supply signal are provided asynchronously.
The envelope tracking power converter, integrated into a single chip and powering two RF bands, supplies its envelope tracking (ET) and average power tracking (APT) power supply signals asynchronously. This means the signals don't need to be perfectly synchronized in time, allowing the system to optimize each power supply independently.
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December 12, 2017
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